Skin1004 Water Fit Sun Serum review: is the sunscreen with the hyaluronic acid and centella complex worth your money? Let’s explore!
The Brand
Founded in 2012, the brands’ name is a play on words in Korean and means ‘skin angel’. The brand focuses on Madagascan Centella Asiatica for its healing and protective properties.
Description
A non-nano chemical sunscreen that blocks UV rays, while simultaneously hydrating the skin. Leaves skin with a moisturized, dewy finish.
Skin1004
Hyalu-Cica Formula: Our unique combination of Centella Asiatica Extract and Hyaluronic Acids simultaneously heals and hydrates the skin.
What it is
Manufactured by Kolmar, like so many successful K-Beauty sunscreens, it has a similar feel and properties. Honestly, I find it feels VERY similar to Beauty of Joseon’s or Isntree’s famous SPFs. VERY. So, if you don’t know any of those, these types of SPF feel like a rich gel/lightweight cream, melt into skin quickly and leave a somewhat fresh-feeling, hydrated, dewy finish.
Ingredients
Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Niacinamide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylyl Methicone, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract(9800ppm), Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Sprout Extract, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate(10ppm), Behenyl Alcohol, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid(1ppm), Inositol, Hyaluronic Acid(0.01ppm), Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin1004
Notable ingredient: Centella Asiatica, also called Gotu Kola. ‘Gotu Kola is a great plant ingredient with proven wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.’ (Incidecoder) Also has Niacinamide, green tea extract and hyaluronic acid.
Filters
| Sunscreen Filter | Type | Spectrum | Remarks |
| Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate / Uvinul A Plus | chemical / organic | high UVA protection (320-400 nm) with peak protection at 354nm | high photostability, can be used up to 10%, available everywhere but the US & Canada |
| Ethylhexyl Triazone / Uvinul T 150 | chemical / organic | photostable UVB filter,(280-320nm) with a peak protection of 314nm | oil soluble, odorless & colorless powder, available everywhere except the US & Canada |
| Tinosorb M / Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol | chemical / organic | broad-spectrum (UVA & UVB, 280-400 nm, peak at 305 nm & 360 nm) | highly photostable, not available in the US, can help stabilize other filters (eg Octinoxate) |
| Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone / Iscotrizinol | chemical / organic | UVB and UVA II (peak protection at 310 nm) | very oil soluble, suitable for water-repellent and water-resistant formulations, VERY photostable |
(The formula also uses a sunscreen booster very high on the ingredient list. Dibutyl Adipate is an emollient that can help solubilising UV filters.)
SPF 50.5 +/- 7.1 and the UVA protection equivalent to PFA 16,56 +/- 2.69 (says Instagram, I don’t have a reliable source.)
Sustainability
Haven’t found anything about the company’s sustainability efforts.
Application
I use a toner and serum before applying the Water-Fit Sun Serum. In warmer months I’d get away with only a toner, I guess, and that would be more than enough as a base, because this SPF is seriously hydrating.
I use eight pumps, which equals two and a half finger-lengths, or 1,80 grams. (One pump equals approx. 0,25g.) That feels plenty, but actually sinks in quickly. (I have a big face.)
Unfortunately, I had to play around with different serums, because the first one I used, AoS’ Tranexamic & Arbutin Serum, led to pilling. Thankfully, it never stings or make my eyes water.
Finish
Right now, I’m not the biggest fan of the dewy, slightly tacky finish. Sure, it looks modern and has that clean-girl chic. (For the record: I HATE that term. HATE.) It gives me some hassle, though: it leaves white crumbs where my glasses sit, and, again – I just don’t like a tacky finish. Your mileage may vary, and even mine does – I’m willing to tolerate it if the SPF is particularly nicely fomulated.
Makeup Application
People may like to use this as a base, because of the slight tackiness which might work as a grippy primer.
With textures like this, though, I’m always afraid that the SPF will lift when I apply liquid foundation. To minimize tackiness, I powdered over my foundation after I applied it, which resulted in a base that would basically peel off whenever I touched my face. This isn’t a new issue with SPFs like this one, but one I find annoying. When it comes to powder foundations (you know I love those and often use them in warmer weather), it works well as a base.
Comparison
I do find the Water Fit Sun Serum performs rather similarly to a lot of sunscreens manufactured by Kolmar. (Round Lab, Isntree, Scinic, Beauty of Joseon…) They’re all ‘lightweight’ in varying degrees, hydrating, leaving a glow with more or less tackiness. They all differ slightly when it comes to ‘extras’, the (mostly) botanical add-ons – here, it’s calming centella and hyaluronic acid.
I wore it in a side by side comparison with Beauty of Joseon’s SPF, and they’re indistinguishable to me. The reason this one scores lower is my taste. Seasons, routines, and skin change, and I find that I don’t like that particular kind of sunscreen very much any more.
If that’s your jam, you’ll like this one, too. Reviews have been saying that Skin1004’s is the most lightweight-feeling of the bunch, and I can’t agree. I find the differences minuscule. I’d also say that oily skin very likely won’t enjoy any of these. Coming from a true satin finish SPF like Acnemy’s, I’ve to say that I actually prefer that one, due to the finish. They all have the same mediocre UVA protection that’ll make me hesitate to use that outside in the height of summer due to my hyperpigmentation. The Water Fit Sun Serum is usually rather cheap – my tube was around 12 Euro when I bought it on Stylevana. There’s no reason NOT to reach for it, but it’s far from being a favourite of mine.
With Skin1004 other SPFs
I also tested both the tone-up and mineral SPF from Skin1004, and didn’t like any of them. The tone-up one left me looking like a ghost, and while the mineral one wasn’t as bad, it was, in true mineral form, a beast to properly and diligently apply. When I didn’t do that, I ended up with white eyebrows. So, not my faves.
Checklist
Rating
A mediocre SPF that has a few things going for it (price, ease of use for most skintypes, decent UVA protection), but has nothing to truly differentiate it from the hyped 2022 K-Beauty offerings like Beauty of Joseon or Round Lab.
Availability & Price
At the usual A-Beauty retailers you can spot a tube of 50ml for around 10€ if you’re lucky. I bought mine at Stylevana.
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
1 Comment